Woodley marks anniversary of land activist Charles Yaw Sosah

The name Charles Yaw Sosah invokes memories of the pain and agony residents of Nairobi's Woodley Estate endured protecting the then posh address from greedy developers coveting the houses.

Sosah paid the ultimate price for his spirited fight against the faceless but wealthy and influential individuals eyeing a piece of the estate that was home to distinguished Kenyans.

Then 34 years old, Sosah died on February 11, 2001, under a hail of bullets.

A naturalised Kenyan from Ghana Sosah was the face of the fight. According to his elder brother David Sosah, he was shot 16 times by two gunmen who vanished without a trace.

Kuria wa Gathoni, who was at the time director of planning at the defunct Nairobi City Council, was charged with Sosah's murder.

High Court judge Mwihaki Njuguna however found Gathoni innocent and awarded him Sh26 million as damages over malicious prosecution for the death of a foreigner 16 years ago.

Therefore, as officials of the Woodley Estate Residents Welfare Society (WERWS) hold a vigil to commemorate Sosah's gruesome murder, they acknowledge that their fallen colleague's death was not in vain.

Sosah's dream of tenants being given priority in house ownership is almost coming true. 

Thanks to his campaign against the powerful intruders, current occupants are on the verge of owning the houses after reaching a tenant-purchase agreement with Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) signed late last year.

The then WERWS assistant organising secretary, Sosah led the resistance against attempts to evict them in favour of rich and well-connected individuals.

"There is no doubt it was an assassination as a result of our efforts to stop city godfathers from occupying Woodley," says David as he recounts the long painful journey residents have walked culminating in the deal with NMS. 

He describes his sibling as a stickler and a courageous man.

"He was respectful to his relatives and never disappointed whenever we turned to him for help. To this Woodley community, he was the most helpful," says David of his brother.

In its prime, Woodley, which was named after British aristocrat Sir Richard Woodley, was the address for many Africans taking over influential positions in government.  

But with systematic neglect and demand for space, the place has since lost the aesthetics that attracted the rich and famous.

Its poor state has however not dampened residents' spirits of finally owning the estate whose foundation stone was laid in 1950. It comprised 300 housing units made up of flats, and two and three bed-roomed bungalows. 

Woodley, which is located on a 110-acre piece of land is among 10 old estates earmarked for redevelopment. Sam Gachago, WRWS chairman says the agreement between them and NMS is a milestone worth rejoicing in as they commemorate Sosah.

"The three previous Presidents did not help us. It was President Uhuru Kenyatta that helped us. He reached out to us first in 2000 when he was a local government minister. We are transcending into ownership through his urban renewal initiative," says Gachago.

Famous people who have lived in Woodley Estate include athlete Billy Konchella, politicians Musalia Mudavadi, Achieng Oneko, Jesse Gachago, Gideon Mutiso, Mirugi Kariuki, Clement Lubembe, Henry Ruhiu and Luke Obok.